High School Romances and Hip Family Dramas: Sundance 2012 Competition Slates Announced

comments: 0 || add yours It’s nearly December which means that it is time for the Sundance Film Festival to announce their competitive programming selections. This year, the slates are varied containing two (2!) Mark Webber features, one Jonathan Kasdan teen rom-com, another Lena Dunham-penned dysfunctional NYC family drama and a number of titles that span genres and the globe. Among the actors featured in the line-up: Joel Edgerton, Michael Cera, Amanda Seyfried, Danny Glover, John Krasinski, Olivia Thirlby, Lizzy Caplan, Alison Brie, John Hawkes, William H. Macy and Helen Hunt. Look through the full press release below to predict who might be this year’s Elizabeth Olsen and what might be this year’s Take Shelter. ——— Park City, UT — Sundance Institute announced today the films selected for the U.S. and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Film Festival will take place January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival. Robert Redford, Founder and President of Sundance Institute remarked, “We are, and always have been, a festival about the filmmakers. So what are they doing? What are they saying? They are making statements about the changing world we are living in. Some are straight-forward, some novel and some offbeat but always interesting. One can never predict. We know only at the end, and I love that.” John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “In these challenging economic times, filmmakers have had to be more resourceful and truly independent in their approaches to filmmaking. Looking at this year’s submissions, the result is more fully realized visions and stronger stories; we are proud to see the Festival emerging as a key indicator of the health and creativity of our filmmaking community. The overall quality of the films in the 2012 Competition section will make for an exciting Festival and a remarkable year ahead for independent film audiences everywhere.” For the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, 110 feature-length films were selected, representing 31 countries and 46 first-time filmmakers, including 26 in competition. These films were selected from 4,042 feature-length film submissions composed of 2,059 U.S. and 1,983 international feature-length films. 88 films at the Festival will be world premieres. In addition to the four Competition categories, the Festival presents feature-length films in six out-of-competition sections. Films in the Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, NEXT <=> and New Frontier sections will be announced on December 1. Films in the Premieres and Documentary Premieres sections will be announced on December 5. On Day One, the Festival will screen one narrative film and one documentary from both the U.S. and World Cinema competitions, as well as one shorts program. Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “The enthusiasm and optimism of John Cooper and his programming team this year is infectious; we are all excited to unveil and experience their selections for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. On behalf of my colleagues at the Sundance Institute we are pleased to introduce new storytellers to our audience, welcome new and returning filmmakers to the Festival and kick off a lively cultural dialogue for 2012.” U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION The world premieres of 16 American narrative feature films. Beasts of the Southern Wild / U.S.A. (Director: Benh Zeitlin, Screenwriters: Benh Zeitlin, Lucy Alibar) — Waters gonna rise up, wild animals gonna rerun from the grave, and everything south of the levee is goin’ under, in this tale of a six year old named Hushpuppy, who lives with her daddy at the edge of the world. Cast: Quvenzhan Wallis, Dwight Henry. The Comedy / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Robert Donne, Colm O’Leary) — Indifferent even to the prospects of inheriting his father’s estate, Swanson whiles away his days with a group of aging Brooklyn hipsters, engaging in small acts of recreational cruelty and pacified boredom. Cast: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, Kate Lyn Sheil, Alexia Rassmusen, Gregg Turkington. The End of Love / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Mark Webber) — A young father unravels following the loss of the mother of his child. Cast: Mark Webber, Shannyn Sossamon, Michael Cera, Jason Ritter, Amanda Seyfried, Frankie Shaw. Filly Brown / U.S.A. (Directors: Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos, Screenwriter: Youssef Delara) — A Hip Hop-driven drama about a Mexican girl who rises to fame and consciousness as she copes with the incarceration of her mother through music. Cast: Lou Diamond Phillips, Gina Rodriguez, Jenni Rivera, Edward James Olmos. The First Time / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jonathan Kasdan) — Two high schoolers meet at a party. Over the course of a weekend, things turn magical, romantic, complicated and funny, as they discover what it’s like to fall in love for the first time. Cast: Brittany Robertson, Dylan O’Brien, Craig Roberts, James Frecheville, Victoria Justice. For Ellen / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: So Yong Kim) — A struggling musician takes an overnight long-distance drive in order to fight his estranged wife for custody of their young daughter. Cast: Paul Dano, Jon Heder, Jena Malone, Margarita Levieva, Shay Mandigo. Hello I Must Be Going / U.S.A. (Director: Todd Louiso, Screenwriter: Sarah Koskoff) — Divorced, childless, demoralized and condemned to move back in with her parents at the age of 35, Amy Minsky’s prospects look bleak - until the unexpected attention of a teenage boy changes everything. Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Blythe Danner, Christopher Abbott, John Rubinstein, Julie White. DAY ONE FILM Keep the Lights On / U.S.A. (Director: Ira Sachs, Screenwriters: Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias) — An autobiographically inspired story of a passionate long-term relationship between two men driven by addiction and secrets but bound by love and hopefulness. Cast: Thure Lindhardt, Zachary Booth, Julianne Nicholson, Souleymane Sy Savane, Paprika Steen. LUV / U.S.A. (Director: Sheldon Candis, Screenwriters: Sheldon Candis, Justin Wilson) — An orphaned 11-year-old boy is forced to face the unpleasant truth about his beloved uncle during one harrowing day in the streets of Baltimore. Cast: Common, Michael Rainey Jr., Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton. Middle Of Nowhere / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ava DuVernay) — When her husband is incarcerated, an African-American woman struggles to maintain her marriage and her identity. Cast: Emayatzy Corinealdi, David Oyelowo, Omari Hardwick, Lorraine Touissant, Edwina Findley. Nobody Walks / U.S.A. (Director: Ry Russo-Young, Screenwriters: Lena Dunham, Ry Russo-Young) — Martine, a young artist from NY, is invited into the home of a hip, liberal LA family for a week. Her presence unravels the family’s carefully maintained status quo, and a mess of sexual and emotional entanglements ensues. Cast: John Krasinski, Olivia Thirlby, Rosemarie DeWitt, India Ennenga, Justin Kirk. Safety Not Guaranteed / U.S.A. (Director: Colin Trevorrow, Screenwriter: Derek Connolly) — A trio of magazine employees investigate a classified ad seeking a partner for time travel. One employee develops feelings for the paranoid but compelling loner and seeks to discover what he’s really up to. Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, Karen Soni. Save the Date / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Mohan, Screenwriters: Jeffrey Brown, Egan Reich, Michael Mohan) — As her sister Beth prepares to get married, Sarah finds herself caught up in an intense post-breakup rebound. The two fumble through the redefined emotional landscape of modern day relationships, forced to relearn how to love and be loved. Cast: Lizzy Caplan, Alison Brie, Martin Starr, Geoffrey Arend, Mark Webber. Simon Killer / France, U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Antonio Campos) — A recent college graduate goes to Paris after breaking up with his girlfriend of 5 years. Once there, he falls in love with a young prostitute and their fateful journey begins. Cast: Brady Corbet, Mati Diop, Constance Rousseau, Michael Abiteboul, Solo. Smashed / U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriters: Susan Burke, James Ponsoldt) — Kate and Charlie are a young married couple whose bond is built on a mutual love of music, laughter and… drinking. When Kate decides to get sober, her new lifestyle brings troubling issues to the surface and calls into question her relationship with Charlie. Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Octavia Spencer, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally. The Surrogate / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ben Lewin) — Mark O’Brien, a 36-year-old poet and journalist with an iron lung, decides he no longer wishes to be a virgin. With the help of his therapist and the guidance of his priest, he contacts a professional sex surrogate to take him on a journey to manhood. Cast: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy. U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION The world premieres of 16 American documentary films. Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry / U.S.A., China (Director: Alison Klayman) — Renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei has garnered international attention as much for his ambitious artwork as his political provocations and increasingly public clashes with the Chinese government. The Atomic States of America / U.S.A. (Directors: Don Argott, Sheena M. Joyce) — In 2010, the United States announced construction of the first new nuclear power plant in more than 32 years. A year later, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Fukushima Power Plant in Japan sparking a fierce debate in the U.S. over the safety and viability of nuclear power. Chasing Ice / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Orlowski) — Science, spectacle and human passion mix in this stunningly cinematic portrait as National Geographic photographer James Balog captures time-lapse photography of glaciers over several years providing tangible visual evidence of climate change. DETROPIA / U.S.A. (Directors: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady) — The woes of Detroit are emblematic of the collapse of the U.S. manufacturing base. This is the dramatic story of a city and its people who refuse to leave the building, even as the flames are rising. ESCAPE FIRE: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare / U.S.A. (Directors: Matthew Heineman, Susan Froemke) — What can be done to save our broken medical system? Powerful forces are trying to maintain the status quo in a profit-driven medical industry, but a movement to bring innovative methods of prevention and healing is finally gaining ground - potentially saving the health of a nation. Finding North / U.S.A. (Directors: Lori Silverbush, Kristi Jacobson) — A crisis of hunger looms in America and is not limited to the poverty stricken and uneducated. Can a return to policies of the 1970s save our future? The House I Live In / U.S.A. (Director: Eugene Jarecki) — For over 40 years, the War on Drugs has accounted for 45 million arrests, made America the world’s largest jailer and damaged poor communities at home and abroad. Yet, drugs are cheaper, purer and more available today than ever. Where did we go wrong and what is the path toward healing? How to Survive a Plague / U.S.A. (Director: David France) — The untold story of the intensive efforts that turned AIDS into a manageable condition - and the improbable group of (mostly HIV-positive) young men and women whose amazing resilience broke through a time of rampant death and political indifference. The Invisible War / U.S.A. (Director: Kirby Dick) — An investigative and powerfully emotional examination of the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the U.S. military, the institutions that cover up its existence and the profound personal and social consequences that arise from it. Marina Abramovi The Artist is Present / U.S.A. (Director: Matthew Akers) — Marina Abramovi prepares for a major retrospective of her work at The Museum of Modern Art in NY hoping to finally silence four decades of skeptics who proclaim: ‘But why is this art?’ ME at the ZOO / U.S.A. (Directors: Chris Moukarbel, Valerie Veatch) — With 270 million hits to date, Chris Crocker, an uncanny young video blogger from small town Tennessee, is considered the Internet’s first rebel folk hero and at the same time one of its most controversial personalities. The Other Dream Team / Lithuania, U.S.A. (Director: Marius Markevicius) — The 1992 Lithuanian National Basketball Team went from the clutches of Communism to the Summer Olympics in Barcelona - a testament to the powerful role of sports as a catalyst for cultural identity. The Queen of Versailles / U.S.A. (Director: Lauren Greenfield) — Jackie and David were triumphantly constructing the biggest house in America - a sprawling, 90,000-square-foot palace inspired by Versailles - when their timeshare empire collapses and their house is foreclosed. Their rags-to-riches-to-rags story reveals the innate virtues and flaws of the American Dream. DAY ONE FILM Slavery By Another Name / U.S.A. (Director: Sam Pollard) — As slavery came to an end with Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, a new system of involuntary servitude took its place with shocking force, brutalizing, terrorizing and ultimately circumscribing the lives of hundreds of thousands of African Americans well into the 20th century. Love Free or Die: How the Bishop of New Hampshire is Changing the World / U.S.A. (Director: Macky Alston) — One man whose two defining passions are in conflict: An openly gay bishop refuses to leave the Church or the man he loves. We’re Not Broke / U.S.A. (Directors: Karin Hayes, Victoria Bruce) — As American lawmakers slash budgets and lay off employees, leaving many people scrambling to survive, multibillion-dollar corporations are concealing colossal profits overseas to avoid paying U.S. income tax. Fed-up Americans are taking their frustration to the streets. WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION Fourteen films from emerging filmmaking talents offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles. 4 Suns / Czech Republic (Director and screenwriter: Bohdan Slma) — Immature Fogi attempts to straighten up and accept his responsibilities as a new husband and father, as well as role model to his troubled son from a previous relationship, but finds himself unable to change his nature, leaving him to watch haplessly as his family begins to crumble. Cast: Jaroslav Plesl, Aa Geislerov, Karel Roden, Ji Mdl, Klra Melkov. World Premiere About the Pink Sky / Japan (Director and screenwriter: Keiichi Kobayashi) — A high school girl finds a wallet full of money and tracks down its owner, leading to unexpected consequences for the girl and her friends. Cast: Ai Ikeda, Ena Koshino, Reiko Fujiwara, Tsubasa Takayama, Hakusyu Togetsuan. International Premiere Can / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Rasit Celikezer) — A young married couple live happily in Istanbul, but their decision to illegally procure a child threatens their future together. Cast: Selen Ucer, Serdar Orcin, Berkan Demirbag, Erkan Avci. World Premiere Father’s Chair (A Cadeira do Pai) / Brazil (Director: Luciano Moura, Screenwriters: Elena Soarez, Luciano Moura) — Following the trail of his runaway teen son, Theo confronts his own identity as a son, a father and a man along the way. Cast: Wagner Moura, Lima Duarte, Mariana Lima. World Premiere L / Greece (Director: Babis Makridis, Screenwriters: Efthymis Filippou, Babis Makridis) — A man who lives in his car gets caught up in the undeclared war between motorcycle riders and car drivers. Cast: Aris Servetalis, Makis Papadimitriou, Lefteris Mathaios, Nota Tserniafski, Stavros Raptis. World Premiere The Last Elvis (El Ultimo Elvis) / Argentina (Director: Armando Bo, Screenwriters: Nicols Giacobone and Armando Bo) — A Buenos Aires Elvis impersonator who believes that he is the reincarnation of the King struggles to shake free from reality and live his musical dream. Cast: John McInerny, Griselda Siciliani, Margarita Lopez. World Premiere Madrid, 1987 / Spain (Director and screenwriter: David Trueba) — The balance of power and desire constantly shifts during the meeting of an older journalist and a young student, of two generations completely foreign to one another. Cast: Jos Sacristn, Mara Valverde, Ramon Fontser. International Premiere My Brother the Devil / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Sally El Hosaini) — A pair of British Arab brothers trying to get by in gangland London learn the extraordinary courage it takes to be yourself. Cast: James Floyd, Sad Taghmaoui, Fady Elsayed. World Premiere Teddy Bear / Denmark (Director: Mads Matthiesen, Screenwriters: Mads Matthiesen, Martin Pieter Zandvliet) — Dennis, a painfully shy 38-year-old bodybuilder who lives with his mother, sets off to Thailand in search of love. Cast: Kim Kold, Elsebeth Steentoft, Lamaiporn Sangmanee Hougaard, David Winters, Allan Mogensen. World Premiere Valley of Saints / India, U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Musa Syeed) — Gulzar plans to run away from the war and poverty surrounding his village in Kashmir with his best friend, but a beautiful young woman researching the dying lake leads him to contemplate a different future Cast: Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, Mohammed Afzal Sofi, Neelofar Hamid. World Premiere Violeta Went to Heaven (Violeta se Fue a Los Cielos) / Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Spain (Director: Andrs Wood, Screenwriters: Eliseo Altunaga, Rodrigo Bazaes, Guillermo Caldern, Andrs Wood) — A portrait of famed Chilean singer and folklorist Violeta Parra filled with her musical work, her memories, her loves and her hopes. Cast: Francisca Gaviln, Thomas Durand, Luis Machn, Gabriela Aguilera, Roberto Faras. International Premiere Wish You Were Here / Australia (Director: Kieran Darcy-Smith, Screenwriters: Felicity Price, Kieran Darcy-Smith) — Four friends embark on a carefree holiday, but only three return home. Who knows what happened on that fateful night? Cast: Joel Edgerton, Teresa Palmer, Felicity Price, Antony Starr. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM WRONG / France (Director and screenwriter: Quentin Dupieux) — Dolph searches for his lost dog, but through encounters with a nympho pizza-delivery girl, a jogging neighbor seeking the absolute, and a mysterious righter of wrongs, he may eventually lose his mind… and his identity. Cast: Jack Plotnick, Eric Judor, Alexis Dziena, Steve Little, William Fichtner. World Premiere Young & Wild / Chile (Director: Marialy Rivas, Screenwriters: Marialy Rivas, Camila Gutirrez, Pedro Peirano) — 17-year-old Daniela, raised in the bosom of a strict Evangelical family and recently unmasked as a fornicator by her shocked parents, struggles to find her own path to spiritual harmony. Cast: Alicia Rodrguez, Aline Kuppenheim, Mara Gracia Omegna, Felipe Pinto. World Premiere WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary filmmakers working today. REVOLUTION / Denmark (Directors: Omar Shargawi, Karim El Hakim) — In January 2011, two filmmakers captured the reality of the Egyptian revolution as it occurred out of view from the world’s media in the alleyways and streets away from the square - and in the process were arrested by the secret police. North American Premiere 5 Broken Cameras / Palestine, Israel, France (Directors: Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi) — A Palestinian journalist chronicles his village’s resistance to a separation barrier being erected on their land and in the process captures his young son’s lens on the world. International Premiere THE AMBASSADOR / Denmark (Director: Mads Brgger) — What happens when a very white European man buys his way into being a diplomat in one of Central Africa’s most failed nations? Welcome to the bizarre and hidden world of African diplomacy, where gin and tonics flow and diamond hustlers and corrupt politicians run free. North American Premiere **BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!*** / Sweden (Director: Fredrik Gertten) — The behind-the-scenes story of a full-scale attack on freedom of speech. When Dole set its sights on the WG Film production Bananas!* in May 2009, confusion was the method, aggression was the tactic and media control was the story. North American Premiere China Heavyweight / Canada, China (Director: Yung Chang) — In central China, where a coach recruits poor rural teenagers and turns them into Western-style boxing champions, the top students face dramatic choices as they graduate - should they fight for the collective good or for themselves? A metaphor for the choices everyone in the New China faces now. World Premiere Gypsy Davy / Israel, U.S.A., Spain (Director: Rachel Leah Jones) — How does a white boy with Alabama roots become a Flamenco guitarist in Andalusian boots? A tale of self-invention and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of the cost to others. International Premiere The Imposter / United Kingdom (Director: Bart Layton) — In 1994 a 13-year-old boy disappears from his home in San Antonio, Texas. Three and a half years later he is found alive thousands of miles away in Spain with a shocking story of kidnap and torture. But all is not what it seems in this tale that is truly stranger than fiction. World Premiere Indie Game: The Movie / Canada (Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky) — Follow the dramatic journeys of indie game developers as they create games and release those works, and themselves, to the world. World Premiere The Law in These Parts / Israel (Director: Ra’anan Alexandrowicz) — Israel’s 43-year military legal system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories unfolds through provocative interviews with the system’s architects and historical footage showing the enactment of these laws upon the Palestinian population. International Premiere Payback / Canada (Director: Jennifer Baichwal) — Based on Margaret Atwood’s best-selling book, Payback explores how debt is a central organizing principle in our lives - influencing relationships, societies, governing structures and the very fate of this planet. World Premiere Putin’s Kiss / Denmark (Director: Lise Birk Pedersen) — 19-year-old Marsha is a model spokesperson in a strongly nationalistic Russian youth movement that aims to protect the country from its enemies. When she starts recognizing the organization’s flaws, she must take a stand for or against it. North American Premiere Searching for Sugar Man / Denmark, United Kingdom (Director: Malik Bendjelloul) — Rodriguez was the greatest ’70s US rock icon who never was. Hailed as the greatest recording artist of his generation he disappeared into oblivion - rising again from the ashes in a completely different context many miles away. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM The Sundance Film Festival A program of the non-profit Sundance Institute, the Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most ground-breaking films of the past two decades, including sex, lies, and videotape, Maria Full of Grace, The Cove, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Precious, Trouble the Water, and Napoleon Dynamite, and through its New Frontier initiative, has showcased the cinematic works of media artists including Isaac Julian, Doug Aitken, Pierre Huyghe, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Matthew Barney. The 2012 Sundance Film Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors - Entertainment Weekly, HP, Acura, Sundance Channel and Chase SapphireSM; Leadership Sponsors - Adobe Systems Incorporated, Bing, Canon, DIRECTV, Focus Forward, a partnership between GE and CINELAN, Southwest Airlines, Sprint and Yahoo!; Sustaining Sponsors - Bertolli Frozen Meal Soups, FilterForGood, a partnership between Brita and Nalgene, Grey Goose Vodka, Hilton HHonors and Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, L’Oral Paris, Stella Artois, Timberland, Time Warner Inc. and YouTubeTM. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations will defray costs associated with the 10-day Festival and the nonprofit Sundance Institute’s year-round programs for independent film and theatre artists. www.sundance.org/festival Sundance Institute Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling to inform, inspire, and unite diverse populations around the globe. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as Born into Brothels, Trouble the Water, Son of Babylon, Amreeka, An Inconvenient Truth, Spring Awakening, I Am My Own Wife, Light in the Piazza and Angels in America. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. # # Tagged: sundance film festival, sundance2012

'Rampart' Trailer: 'Shield' the film?

There is plenty of early Oscar buzz for Woodsy Harrelson's performance inside the approaching film 'Rampart.' Mind for the movie's trailer page on Apple which is peppered with quotes adoring his role as Dork Brown, a corrupt LAPD officer -- employment that fans of 'The Shield,' the considerably acclaimed police drama on Foreign exchange, will uncover quite familiar. The show, which went from 2002-2008, adopted Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), a vigilante cop in L.A. who eventually eventually ends up jeopardizing his career and family. Not only will be the plot points between 'The Shield' and 'Rampart' similar, nevertheless the look, dialogue and overall tone are, too (just take a look as of this Mackey photo and compare it with Harrelson's inside the poster right). Whether 'Rampart' can be a 'Shield' copy remains to look. Audiences in NY and La will uncover on November. 23. 'Rampart,' which stars Ice Cube, Anne Heche and Sigourney Weaver, develops wider in 2012. Mind to Apple to find out a clip in HD. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

LA Sheriffs Department Reopens Analysis Into Natalie Forest Dying

First Released: November 17, 2011 10:12 PM EST Credit: WireImage La, Calif. -- Caption Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner throughout Look Magazine Party at Jimmys Restaurant in Beverly Hillsides, Feb 14, 1979The analysis in to the dying of West Side Story star Natalie Wood continues to be reopened nearly 3 decades after her dying. The La Sheriffs Department introduced this news on Thursday mid-day, somewhat under two days prior to the 30th anniversary from the actress dying. On November 29, 1981, Natalie Wood Wagner drowned while boating from the Isthmus of Catalina Island. At that time, the drowning was looked into through the La County Sheriffs Department and also the La County Coroners Office. The drowning was ruled any sort of accident, a release in the LASD to gain access to Hollywood read. Lately Sheriffs Homicide Researchers were approached by persons who mentioned they'd more information concerning the Natalie Wood Wagner drowning. Because of the extra information, Sheriffs Homicide Bureau has made the decision to visit again the situation, the discharge ongoing. Wood, the star of films such as the James Dean vehicle Digital rebel With No Cause and Miracle on 34th Street, died at age 43, abandoning her husband Robert Wagner and 2 children. The actress dying because of drowning happened throughout a remain on her yacht with husband Robert, and actor Christopher Walken. On Thursday evening, a repetition for that Wagner family released an argument to NBC News within the analysis reopening. Although nobody within the Wagner family members have been told by the LA County Sheriffs department relating to this matter, they fully offer the efforts from the LA County Sheriffs Dept. and trust they'll evaluate whether any new information relevant towards the dying of Natalie Wood Wagner applies, which it develops from a credible source or sources apart from individuals simply attempting to make money from the thirty year anniversary of her tragic dying, the statement read. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Deadline Advisory: Movie Awards Coverage

Deadline will ramp up its movie awards season coverage starting today. Of course Awards Columnist Pete Hammond will continue to be Deadline’s linchpin to all honors including Oscars, Golden Globes, WGA, PGA, SAG, and the Hollywood arts and crafts.Mike Fleming and Nikki Finke will be weighing in frequently with breaking news and Q&As with major players. And life wouldn’t be worth living without Nikki’s awards show live-snarking… What’s new this year is Nikki’s first annual Oscars event calledThe Contenders on December 10th and 11th at the Landmark Theatre with 11 major and indiefilm studios showcasing their awardscontenders directly to Academy Motion Picture Arts & Sciences members… And, again, there will be awards print editions. For the last2010-2011 movie awards season,Deadline’s Nikki Finkeplanned, designed, and edited 7 Oscar awards publications, as well as 2 Emmy awards print editions. Those 9Deadline publicationsare finalists in the ‘Best Of’ category of the Annual National Entertainment Awards. This 2011-2012 awards season will usher in thepermanent print publicationcalled Awards|Line planned, designed, and written by a mostly freelance staff. It will repurpose online content from Deadline,and some of the freelance content from Awards|Line may be repurposed on Deadine.Once again, therewill be7 Awards|Line print editions coveringproducers,directors, writers, actors,actresses as well as the animation, foreign language, music, specialeffects, cinematography, costumes, and other categories. The first issue is published today.

Eric Roth is at predicts pen 'Cleopatra'

Roth"Very Noisy and very Close" scribe Eric Roth is at predicts reteam with producer Scott Rudin around the new the new sony Pictures' "Nefertiti," which has Jennifer Aniston installed on star since the Egyptian full.David Fincher is circling the pic, which John Helgeland initially modified from Stacy Schiff's best-selling book "Nefertiti: A Existence." There is no offer place yet for Roth, despite the fact that The brand new the new sony wouldn't confirm his participation, sources near the project confirm he's been approached and may likely begin writing next a few days.Movie will state Cleopatra's story in the woman's perspective, displaying just like a master strategist if the involves both politics and war.Rudin acquired it which is creating the pic, that's likely to possess a substantial cost, though Jolie has proven herself just like a bankable actress who is able to open a movie. Her latter live-action photos, "The Tourist" and "Salt," correspondingly made $278 and $293 million worldwide for that new the new sony.It remains unclear whether "Nefertiti" will probably be shot in 3d, which was James Cameron's plan when he was considering pointing the project.Roth formerly written Sony's Muhammad Ali biopic "Ali" for director Michael Mann, and several recently written "The Curious Situation of Benjamin Button" for Jolie's partner, Kaira Pitt. Scribe is repped by CAA. Contact Rob Sneider at rob.sneider@variety.com

Join An L.A. Evening With... 'Take Shelter'

Back Stage presents a free screening of "Take Shelter," followed by a Q&A with the film's star, Michael Shannon. The event will be Saturday, November 12th at 11 a.m. at the Pacific Design Center, Silver Screen Theatre, 8687 Melrose Ave. West Hollywood, CA.To RSVP, email EveningWith@backstage.com with "Take Shelter" in the subject header. Indicate if you plan on bringing a guest. Parking will be validated.Michael Shannon recieved an Oscar nomination for his work in the film "Revolutionary Road." He currently stars on "Boardwalk Empire" as Prohobition agent Nelson Van Alden.About the film:Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself.Curtis LaForche lives in a small Ohio town with his wife Samantha and six-year-old daughter Hannah, who is deaf. Curtis makes a modest living as a crew chief for a sand-mining company. Samantha is a stay-at-home mother and part-time seamstress who supplements their income by selling handmade wares at the flea market each weekend. Money is tight, and navigating Hannah's healthcare and special needs education is a constant struggle. Despite that, Curtis and Samantha are very much in love and their family is a happy one.Then Curtis begins having terrifying dreams about an encroaching, apocalyptic storm. He chooses to keep the disturbance to himself, channeling his anxiety into the obsessive building of a storm shelter in their backyard. His seemingly inexplicable behavior concerns and confounds Samantha, and provokes intolerance among co-workers, friends and neighbors. But the resulting strain on his marriage and tension within the community doesn't compare to Curtis' private fear of what his dreams may truly signify.Faced with the proposition that his disturbing visions signal disaster of one kind or another, Curtis confides in Samantha, testing the power of their bond against the highest possible stakes.

Cheers & Jeers: Sons of Anarchy's Perlman from the Hour

Ron Perlman Cheers to Sons of Anarchy for releasing the animal in Ron Perlman. Want more Cheers & Jeers? Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now! FX's motorcycle-gang drama has sometimes soft-pedaled the wonder and also the Animal vet's character, SAMCRO prez Clay Morrow, showing him weight loss of the arthritic pussycat than the usual ferocious tiger. However in SOA's superb Season 4 - and particularly within this week's standout episode, "Hands" (directed by Robocop's Peter Weller) - Perlman made contact with together with his inner Hellboy. Clay purchased popular on stepson Jax's old lady, Tara (Maggie Siff), and was not able to prevent it once he learned Jax as well as their kids could be together with her. The botched result: Tara's hands got crushed, together with her career like a surgeon. As well as in the hour's shocking climax, Clay savagely beat his wife, Gemma (Katey Sagal), leading her to swear revenge, via Jax. Without doubt about this: SOA's central dramatic conflict - and Perlman's compelling performance - is actually getting excited. What have you think about Ron Perlman on last night's Sons of Anarchy? Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

Kris Jenner: Kim Kardashian "Really Needed to Talk" to Kris Humphries

Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner Why did Kim Kardashian fly to Minnesota to see Kris Humphries over the weekend?"She really needed to talk to him," her mother Kris Jenner tells Extra. "She's just trying to figure it out. ... She's trying to do the right thing, follow her heart."Kim Kardashian flies to Kris Humphries' hometownJenner says he doesn't know if her daughter, who filed for divorce last week after 72 days of marriage, was looking to reconcile with Humphries. During the trip, the estranged couple met with the pastor who officiated their lavish August wedding. "They [need to] show their emotions," Jenner says. "She needs to do what she's doing now and cry and figure it out."She admits the divorce filing caught her by surprise. "I wish that I would have been able to help her along with that, but I wasn't, but at this point I can only let her know that she is loved beyond belief and whatever she decides is OK," Jenner says.Kris Humphries: I'm devastated that Kim filed for divorceJenner adds that Kardashian will likely speak out about the situation once the "dust settles.""Whatever decisions Kim is making right now, she's a very smart girl and she's gonna do the right thing,"she says.

EXCLUSIVE: 'Blue Velvet' Blu-Ray Outtakes

Who is able to neglect the classic chuckle-fest that was David Lynch's hallucinogenic portrait in the American small town, "Blue Velvet"? Emerge, it absolutely was a lot of fun to produce. In this particular exclusive outtakes featurette within the approaching extra-loaded Blu-ray relieve the 1986 classic, we get through to the start to see the lighter side from the movie that begins while using discovery from the severed human ear. The 25th Anniversary Blu-ray, which will be stores today (November 8), features a fascinating bloopers catch the feeling film. The "Blue Velvet" Blu-ray comes complete with many different accessories worth searching at. Furthermore for the bloopers reel, the release offers 50 minutes of formerly unreleased removed moments. Incorporated within this are among David Lynch's favorite moments which was never, in which a lady lights her hard nipples burning. Oh, "Blue Velvet," around your exact same techniques two-and-a-half decades later! "Blue Velvet" could be acquired on Blu-ray today (November 8). Whoever else consider the bloopers? Inform us inside the comments below and also on Twitter!

AFM 2011: Hayden Panettiere, Melissa Leo Join Racing Thriller 'Over the Wall'

Melissa Leo and Hayden Panettiere are joining the cast well over the Wall, a racing thriller compiled by Steven Christopher Youthful, who's also making his directorial debut.our editor recommendsMelissa Leo on her behalf Questionable Advertisements: The Academy awards Are About 'Pimping Yourself Out'Hayden Panettiere Handles 'Harsh' Spotlight of Playing Charged Killer Amanda KnoxRelated Subjects•AFM 2011 The film, which stars Nick Stahl andFreddy Rodriguez, will shoot in Ohio early in the year. New York can also be around the location list. PHOTOS: On Set using the Leading Ladies of Hollywood Wall is really a love story occur the field of stock vehicle racing and follows a husband, wife, surrogate mother and closest friend handling a tragic event. Ray Meistrich and Ken H. Keller are creating. Executive producers are Steven Beer and Rodriguez. AFM 2011: THR's Complete Coverage Indomina Group, which the 2009 week introduced it had been focusing on two Cabin Fever prequels, is handling worldwide sales and presenting the project to purchasers at AFM. Related Subjects AFM Hayden Panetierre Movie Casting Melissa Leo AFM 2011

'NCIS' pair power Tuesday triumph for CBS

Fox's Tuesday lineup returned from its baseball-dictated hiatus to lower numbers this week, as CBS swept the night's three hours in key demos. NBC's combo of ''The Biggest Loser'' and ''Parenthood'' looked better, as did CW's rookie drama ''Ringer.'' CBS saw all three of its dramas win their hours in demos and total viewers despite week-to-week declines. ''NCIS'' (3.9/11 in 18-49, 19.4 million viewers overall) easily led at 8 o'clock , by 3 shares in 18-49 and by 7 shares in adults 25-54 , and ''NCIS: Los Angeles'' kept the net on top at 9 (3.4/9 in 18-49, 15.6 million viewers overall). At 10, ''Unforgettable'' was on the low side (2.3/6 in 18-49, 11.3 million viewers overall) but still led in all categories. Fox's ''Glee'' (2.9/8 in 18-49, 7.4 million viewers overall) and ''New Girl'' (3.5/9 in 18-49, 7.5 million viewers overall) were down nearly 20% from their last originals four weeks ago; while some declines were expected following such a delay, Fox will have its fingers crossed that the shows bounce back in coming weeks. At 9:30, ''Raising Hope'' (2.5/6 in 18-49, 5.5 million viewers overall) was down 14% from its last original. For the night, Fox ran second to CBS in adults 18-49 while remaining on top among the 12-34 crowd. ABC's Tim Allen comedy ''Last Man Standing'' dipped some more in its fourth week (2.6/8 in 18-49, 9.3 million viewers overall), as did lead-out ''Man Up'' in its third (1.8/5 in 18-49, 6.4 million viewers overall); combined, they tied NBC for third place in 18-49 for the hour. The ''Dancing With the Stars'' results show followed with a week-to-week uptick (2.8/7 in 18-49, 15.2 million viewers overall), as did 10 p.m. drama ''Body of Proof'' (2.0/5 in 18-49, 10.1 million viewers overall). NBC's ''The Biggest Loser'' (2.3/6 in 18-49, 6.5 million viewers overall) bounced back from last week , when it faced special competition from Fox's ''The X Factor'' , and joined 10 p.m. drama ''Parenthood'' (2.2/6 in 18-49, 5.3 million viewers overall) in matching season highs. ''Parenthood'' enjoyed its most competitive position relative to CBS' ''Unforgettable'' to date, pulling into an 18-49 tie at 10:30. At the CW, ''Ringer'' (0.8/2 in 18-49, 1.8 million viewers overall) held steady in broad categories but was up a tick vs. its most recent original episode in both adults 18-34 (0.8/2) and women 18-34 (1.2/3). Kicking off the night, ''90210'' (0.7/2 in 18-49, 1.5 million viewers overall) was in line with its previous new episode. Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: CBS, 3.2/9; Fox, 3.0/8; ABC and NBC, 2.3/6; Univision, 1.5/4; CW, 0.7/2. In total viewers: CBS, 15.4 million; ABC, 11.0 million; Fox, 7.0 million; NBC, 6.0 million; Univision, 3.5 million; CW, 1.6 million. Contact Rick Kissell at rick.kissell@variety.com

At Actorfest LA, Learn the Secret to Success in Voice-Over

At Actorfest LA, Learn the Secret to Success in Voice-Over November 2, 2011 In the Succeeding in Voiceover panel at Actorfest LA, six industry professionals give you the insider's view of what it takes to succeed as a voiceover actor. Learn how to get cast as a Voice-Over Actor in Commercials and on Radio and TV.Voicebank's CEO Jeff Hixon leads this panel of top casting directors, voiceover artists, and agents, and they shares their best tips on breaking into this lucrative field, including how to build a career in voiceover.Speakers include: -- Jeff Hixon, CEO, Voicebank-- David Stieve, Voiceover Agent, AKA Talent Agency-- Terry Berland, Casting Director, Terry Berland Casting-- Rick Zieff, Producer, Director, Casting Director, Voiceover Talent and Coach-- Bill Ratner, Actor-- Ashley Russo, ActorTo register for this dynamic workshop, visit actorfestla2011.eventbrite.com.Actorfest LA, which is brought to you by Back Stage, the Actor's Resource, will take place on Saturday, November 5th at the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles. To help kickstart your career, Actorfest offers more than two dozen exclusive Workshops; Casting Calls; Meet & Drops with Top Casting Directors; a Networking Caf; and an enormous Exhibit Hall, at which you can meet with acting teachers, coaches, schools, headshot photographers, and many more vendors who will help you succeed in your career.To register for Actorfest LA, please visit actorfestla2011.eventbrite.com. For more information, visit www.ActorfestLA.com. As you register, take advantage of our special limited-time subscription offers.Enjoy your day at Actorfest! At Actorfest LA, Learn the Secret to Success in Voice-Over November 2, 2011 In the Succeeding in Voiceover panel at Actorfest LA, six industry professionals give you the insider's view of what it takes to succeed as a voiceover actor. Learn how to get cast as a Voice-Over Actor in Commercials and on Radio and TV.Voicebank's CEO Jeff Hixon leads this panel of top casting directors, voiceover artists, and agents, and they shares their best tips on breaking into this lucrative field, including how to build a career in voiceover.Speakers include: -- Jeff Hixon, CEO, Voicebank-- David Stieve, Voiceover Agent, AKA Talent Agency-- Terry Berland, Casting Director, Terry Berland Casting-- Rick Zieff, Producer, Director, Casting Director, Voiceover Talent and Coach-- Bill Ratner, Actor-- Ashley Russo, ActorTo register for this dynamic workshop, visit actorfestla2011.eventbrite.com.Actorfest LA, which is brought to you by Back Stage, the Actor's Resource, will take place on Saturday, November 5th at the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles. To help kickstart your career, Actorfest offers more than two dozen exclusive Workshops; Casting Calls; Meet & Drops with Top Casting Directors; a Networking Caf; and an enormous Exhibit Hall, at which you can meet with acting teachers, coaches, schools, headshot photographers, and many more vendors who will help you succeed in your career.To register for Actorfest LA, please visit actorfestla2011.eventbrite.com. For more information, visit www.ActorfestLA.com. As you register, take advantage of our special limited-time subscription offers.Enjoy your day at Actorfest!

Fox Axes Affion Crockett Sketch Show

Affion Crockett Fox has canceled the primetime sketch show Within the Flow with Affion Crockett, Entertainment Weekly reviews. The series, which went for six episodes in August, was executive-created by Jamie Foxx as well as in Living Color authors Fax Bahr and Adam Small. It released Sundays at 9. Fox to air two In Living Color special offers Fox a week ago introduced that will revive In Living Color for 2 half-hour special offers set to debut in spring 2012. Of their own sketch comedy show, Affion Crockett formerly told TVGuide.com, "It's an In Living Color 2011 and beyond-type flavor." Appears like there wasn't room for 2...

Hollywood Conglomerate Earnings Season: Ad Outlook, Digital Deals to Be in Focus

NY -- CEO commentary on the state and outlook of the advertising market will take center stage when entertainment conglomerates report their latest quarterly financials over the next couple of weeks. Stocks of sector biggies had a rough third quarter amid concerns about a potential relapse of the U.S. economy into recession, but last week's third-quarter GDP report came in better than expected and showed the strongest economic growth in a year. "The recent market improvement and not-apocalyptic third-quarter GDP results should bolster the incremental buyer, and will likely support a positive management tone on earnings calls over the next two weeks," said Davenport & Co. analyst Michael Morris. Echoed RBC Capital Markets analyst David Bank: "Third-quarter results and fourth-quarter outlook for most of the media and advertising players will likely bear little resemblance to the macro upheaval suggested in this summer's market activity." "While we understand that most investors will focus on the forward-looking commentary coming out of the calendar third-quarter earnings, we believe that reported numbers will likely be in line with consensus expectations," confirmed Nomura Securities analyst Michael Nathanson. But he added: "We currently expect for all of our companies to experience a deceleration in advertising in the third quarter versus the strong growth in the first half of 2011." Most Wall Street observers expect cable TV networks units of Hollywood conglomerates to have had another strong quarter driven by ad growth despite mixed ratings, and many a film unit is also projected to report quarterly gains amid solid box office growth. "On the ratings front, Comcast/NBCUniversal and News Corp. were the only large cap media companies to post revenue weighted ratings growth in the calendar third quarter," said Credit Suisse analyst Spencer Wang. On the film side, "the box office increased 54 percent for the four studios, including 129 percent at Viacom," said Evercore Partners analyst Alan Gould. And Bank said that among blockbuster movies in the third quarter, only Universal's/DreamWorks' Cowboys & Aliens "looks likely to be a write-down." On earnings conference calls, expect CEOs to once again tout their latest digital distribution deals, such as ones that CW owners Time Warner and CBS Corp. have recently struck with Netflix and Hulu. But they may also face questions whether the recent pace of deals is sustainable amid Netflix's recent missteps. "Management comments on affiliate fee negotiations and possible proliferation of tiered distributor pricing structures, rising content costs (particularly for sports rights) and additional content sales to digital distributors will also shape investor outlooks into 2012," Morris said. "We note that a weak third-quarter subscriber result from Netflix on Oct. 24 has increased concern that digital content deals may be limited in the future." Some industry executives are also expected to discuss the recent launch of digital content locker UltraViolet and promise continued dividend payments and stock buybacks to reward shareholders. Overall, Lazard Capital Markets analyst Barton Crockett said this week that he has maintained his positive stance towards big entertainment stocks "We see cable net advertising as a secular outperformer, recession resistant growth in program fees and healthy share repurchase as reasons to favor the group," he said. But Wang is less bullish than others on the outlook for Hollywood conglomerate stocks. "We maintain our "underweight" rating on the U.S. entertainment sector as we believe that the uncertain economy and secular forces continue to pose potential risks to both advertising estimates and the pay TV eco-system," he said in a recent report. Here is a look at what analysts expect from the big publicly traded U.S. entertainment companies this earnings season: Time Warner: Time Warner kicks off the week's big entertainment conglomerate earnings on Wednesday morning, and Gould said: "We would not be surprised to see management raise its full year outlook." He expects 7 percent revenue growth to $6.84 billion and adjusted operating profit growth of 16 percent to $1.57 billion. Film gains in revenue and profit will likely stand next to a TV unit revenue gain, but slight bottom line decline in TV due to higher NCAA costs and marketing expenses, according to Gould. "Harry Potter 8 led the film side, and the syndication of The Big Bang Theory drove the TV division," he explained. A possible loss of the NBA season, the studio's outlook after the end of the Harry Potter franchise and cable networks ratings and ad trends could be key conference call questions. Potential digital deals for the Warner library beyond Netflix's recent CW deal could also be in focus. After all, "TW has the largest TV library with over 50,000 episodes," Gould said. News Corp.: News Corp. will disclose its latest financials Wednesday afternoon. A revenue gain of 2 percent to $7.56 billion and operating profit growth of 13 percent to $1.30 billion is what Gould is looking for. But the $63 million breakup fee of the failed deal to buy full control of U.K. pay TV firm BSkyB will affect net earnings, he said. Stronger cable network ratings and advertising and affiliate fee trends, and growth in the broadcast TV segment will help the bottom line, but Gould expects a two percent film decline despite a 10 percent U.S. box office increase driven by Planet of the Apes. Of course, the press portion of the News Corp. conference call could once again focus on the latest fallout from the phone hacking scandal and questions on CEO succession issues. "We believe if there were any contagion to the U.S. properties it likely would have already been alleged," Gould said. "Despite the scandal, operations have been quite strong." CBS Corp.: CBS Corp. reports its third-quarter earnings on Thursday. Gould predicts 3.9 percent operating profit growth to $635 million on a 1.9 percent revenue gain to $3.36 billion driven by growth in the entertainment segment. "Digital content monetization could yet again potentially provide an upside surprise," predicted Bank. "We're expecting another solid quarter from CBS as more digital-streaming revenue is recognized, which, along with incremental retrans, should continue to boost entertainment segment margins, and trends across CBS's advertising platforms have remained relatively consistent with prior expectations." Analyst conference call questions "will focus on current advertising trends, the impact of Netflix's slowdown on digital licensing revenue" and two recent CW deals with Netflix and Hulu," said Gould. Viacom: Viacom reports its quarterly results next week Thursday. The analyst expects a 31 percent operating profit improvement to $1.10 billion on a revenue gain of 15.2 percent to $3.84 billion. Some ratings challenges in the company's cable networks unit could likely be overcome by continued ad gains, according to analysts. The film results could be a key highlight in that context, with Gould predicting more than a tripling of its bottom line. "Paramount's films grossed over $500 million at the domestic box office, up 129 percent, led by Transformers 3 and the Marvel/Disney title Captain America," said Gould. "Most of the marketing dollars for Transformers 3 were expensed in the June quarter making the film very profitable in the September period. Paramount should also show very strong pay TV results this quarter." Analysts will look for latest ad growth guidance after management previously reduced its forecasts a bit. Walt Disney: Disney wraps up quarterly earnings season for Hollywood conglomerates next Thursday afternoon with its first earnings report and conference call since CEO Robert Iger's contract with the company was extended through 2016. Gould expects Disney to post a 13.1 percent operating profit gain to $1.79 billion on a 6.6 percent revenue increase to $10.38 billion. He sees a double-digit increase in the cable networks unit's bottom line and a 4.6 percent film unit improvement, but a big decline in broadcast unit profits due to lower syndication profit and political ad money. "We estimate cable advertising will be up 5.5 percent during the quarter despite Disney's prime-time ad supported network ratings being down," he said. "We are projecting a very small gain at the studio. Disney's films were up an estimated 23 percent at the box office and last year Disney took a $100 million write-down on the studio that produced Mars Needs Moms. But this year there will be tough home entertainment comparison with Thor versus Iron Man 2 and most of the box office upside was from DreamWorks films, particularly The Help, which is simply a distribution deal." He did highlight though that the re-release of The Lion King in 3D grossed $72 million in the quarter and "should have been quite profitable." Conference call questions could include ones about the effect of the potential of a lost NBA season. Related Topics